Blueberry plant named &#39;drisbluenine&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of blueberry plant named ‘DrisBlueNine’ particularly distinguished by having a late harvest season, high productivity and large, firm berries, is disclosed.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Vaccinium corymbosum L.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘DrisBlueNine’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The invention relates to a new and distinct blueberry variety designated‘DrisBlueNine’ and botanically known as Vaccinium corymbosum L. This newblueberry variety was discovered in Clackamas County, Oregon in August2004 and originated from a cross between the proprietary female parentblueberry plant ‘MS 122’ (unpatented) and the male parent blueberry.plant ‘G292’ (unpatented). The original seedling of the new variety wasfirst asexually propagated at a nursery in Monterey County, Californiain 2004. ‘DrisBlueNine’ was subsequently asexually propagated andunderwent further testing at a nursery in Santa Cruz County, Californiafor six years (2007-2012). The present invention has been found to bestable and reproduce true to type through successive asexualpropagations via softwood cuttings.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this variety have not been applied for.‘DrisBlueNine’ has not been made publicly available or sold more thanone year prior to the filing date of this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Santa Cruz County, California.

1. Late harvest season;

2. High productivity; and

3. Large, firm berries.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new blueberry plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographswhich show fruit of the plant as well as the flowers and leaves. Thecolors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventionalphotographic procedures. The photographs are of plants that are fouryears old.

FIG. 1 shows a close-up of the mature flowers.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the leaves.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the whole fruit and a cross-section of thefruit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘DrisBlueNine.’ The data which define thesecharacteristics is based on observations taken in Santa Cruz County,California from 2007-2012. This description is in accordance with UPOVterminology. Color designations, color descriptions, and otherphenotypical descriptions may deviate from the stated values anddescriptions depending upon variation in environmental, seasonal,climatic and cultural conditions. ‘DrisBlueNine’ has not been observedunder all possible environmental conditions. The botanical descriptionof ‘DrisBlueNine’ was taken from 4 year-old plants. Color references areprimarily to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Societyof London (R.H.S.) (2007 edition). Descriptive terminology follows thePlant Identification Terminology, An Illustrated Glossary, 2^(nd)edition by James G. Harris and Melinda Woolf Harris, unless whereotherwise defined.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Ericaceae.        -   Botanical.—Vaccinium corymbosum L.        -   Common name.—Blueberry.        -   Variety name.—‘DrisBlueNine’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—The proprietary blueberry plant ‘MS 122’            (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—The blueberry plant ‘G292’ (unpatented).-   Plant:    -   -   Size.—Small.        -   Height.—112.7 cm.        -   Width.—129.9 cm.        -   Length/width ratio.—0.9.        -   Plant vigor.—Strong.        -   Growth habit.—Semi-erect.        -   Productivity.—High.        -   Cold hardiness.—Medium.        -   Chilling requirement.—High.        -   Propagation.—Soft wood cuttings.        -   Time of vegetative bud burst.—Late.        -   Fruiting type.—Only on one-year-old shoots.        -   Cane renewal.—Medium.        -   Internode length (Upper half on one-year old shoot).—47.7            mm.        -   One-year old canes (Young canes).—Length: 104.3 cm Diameter            at the base: 8.8 mm Diameter at the tip: 2.9 mm Texture:            Smooth Color (One-year old shoot, branch and canes): RHS            146B (Medium yellow-green).        -   Five-year old canes (Mature canes).—Length: 118.3 cm            Diameter at the base: 15.2 mm Diameter at the tip: 4.2 mm            Texture: Rough Color: RHS N200 (Light brown).-   Leaves:    -   -   Length.—Long; 8.75 cm.        -   Width.—Medium; 4.4 cm.        -   Length/width ratio.—2.0; longer than broad.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Glossiness.—Glossy.        -   Pubescence.—Glabrous (Absent).        -   Sheath.—Absent.        -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Venation.—Reticulate.        -   Color.—Upper surface: Dark; RHS 137A (Dark green) Lower            surface: Medium; RHS 148B (Medium yellow-green).        -   Internode length (One-year old shoot, upper half).—Long;            24.00 mm.-   Petiole:    -   -   Length.—5.8 mm.        -   Diameter.—1.95 mm.        -   Color.—RHS 144C (Medium yellow-green).-   Flowers:    -   -   Length (Excluding peduncle).—Long; 9.94 mm.        -   Diameter.—6.91 mm.        -   Length/width ratio.—1.4.        -   Color.—RHS 157D (Light green-white).        -   Flower bud.—Length: 5.0 mm Width: 3.0 mm Number of flowers            per bud: 6 Anthocyanin coloration: Medium; RHS 181A (Medium            greyed-red) Color on immature buds: Medium; RHS 175C (Medium            greyed-orange) Color on mature buds: Medium; RHS 142A            (Medium green).        -   Petal width.—4.49 mm.        -   Fragrance.—Very faint or absent.        -   Time of beginning flowering on one-year shoot.—Late.        -   Time of flowering (50% full bloom).—Late.        -   Pedicel.—Length: 4.97 mm Diameter: 1.06 mm Color: RHS 142B            (Medium green).        -   Corolla.—Aperture diameter: 3.54 mm Shape: Urceolate            (Urn-shaped) Size of corolla tube: Large Corolla tube color:            Medium; RHS 63A (Medium red-purple) Ridges on tube: Present.        -   Peduncle length.—17.51 mm.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Style length (including stigma).—Medium; 16.68 mm.        -   Style color.—RHS 144C (Medium yellow-green).        -   Ovary color.—RHS 191B (Medium greyed-green).        -   Pollen amount.—Low.        -   Pollen color.—RHS 4D (Light yellow).        -   Anther color.—RHS 164A (Medium greyed-orange).-   Fruit:    -   -   Size.—Large.        -   Length.—14.76 mm.        -   Width.—23.60 mm.        -   Length/width ratio.—0.6.        -   Fruit pedicel diameter.—1.10 mm.        -   Weight.—3.2 g.        -   Number of berries per cluster.—6.6.        -   Cluster density.—Medium.        -   Shape in longitudinal sections.—Oblate.        -   Intensity of green color (Immature fruit with            bloom).—Medium; RHS 143D (Medium green).        -   Color of skin (Immature fruit without bloom).—RHS 59A (Dark            red-purple).        -   Color of skin (Mature fruit without bloom).—RHS 103A (Dark            blue).        -   Color of skin (Mature fruit with bloom).—RHS 98D (Light            violet-blue).        -   Intensity of bloom (Mature fruit).—Strong.        -   Attitude of sepals.—Incurving.        -   Calyx.—Diameter of basin: Large; 8.22 mm Depth of basin:            Deep; 4.32 mm Diameter/depth ratio: 1.9.        -   Flesh color.—RHS 145D (Light yellow-green).        -   Firmness.—Firm.        -   Sweetness.—Low.        -   Acidity.—High.        -   Time of beginning of fruit ripening (One-year old            shoots).—Late.        -   Harvest season.—Late.        -   Harvest interval.—Mid-July to early October.-   Seeds:    -   -   Length.—1.92 mm.        -   Width.—1.12 mm.        -   Length/width ratio.—1.7.        -   Abundance.—Medium.        -   Color.—RHS 165A (Dark greyed-orange).-   Resistance to pests and diseases: Data not available.

COMPARISON WITH COMMERCIAL VARIETIES

‘DrisBlueNine’ differs from the commercial variety ‘Elliott’(unpatented) in that ‘DrisBlueNine’ has a semi-erect growth habit andlarge berries, whereas ‘Elliott’ has an upright growth habit and mediumsized berries.

‘DrisBlueNine’ differs from the commercial variety ‘Bluecrop’(unpatented), in that ‘DrisBlueNine’ has a semi-erect growth habit,whereas ‘Bluecrop’ has an upright growth habit. Additionally,‘DrisBlueNine’ has a late harvest season, whereas ‘Bluecrop’ has amid-season harvest.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of blueberry plant named‘DrisBlueNine’ as shown and described herein.